In addition to a recent donation, the Ravens quarterback is lending his image to help the Baltimore Humane Society.

People can see Flacco's smiling face throughout the region on billboards, where he's holding a puppy and asking folks to "team up with Joe" and the shelter. The most prominent one will be along the Jones Falls Expressway.

Humane Society, a non-profit, no-kill shelter, hopes the new campaign will raise awareness about its adoption efforts, based out of a newly renovated shelter in Reisterstown.

To jumpstart the effort even more, Flacco has autographed a number of items that the Humane Society will be giving away to people who "like" the contest area on Humane Society's Facebook page and those who visit the shelter.

There are eight autographed prizes, everything from a football, jersey to Ravens dog dishes and Ravens shirts for dogs. People have until Feb. 6 to enter the contest.

According to the shelter, when Flacco recently presented them with $9,000, the proceeds from proceeds from the recent Dunkin’ Donuts “Take Joe on the Go” coffee mug promotion, he told them a story about why has such a soft spot for animals.

“I grew up with a deaf white boxer who became a member of our family," shelter officials say Flacco told them. "When you come here and see animals put in these situations you feel for them and it’s tough not to get involved.”

The Show Your Soft Side campaign aims to show young people that hurting animals is anything but cool. The campaign features well-known tough guys demonstrating their soft spot for dogs and cats. The slogan: Only a Punk Would Hurt a Cat or Dog.

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